In regard to the Crown lease in perpetuity 071476 Volume 425 Folio 113 - Borroloola Boat and Fishing Club:

1. What and when is routine monitoring done to ensure that the area under lease is being used only in compliance with the terms of the crown lease.

2. Which department is undertaking such monitoring, how is it done and will the Minister provide copies of departmental reports arising from such monitoring, from 1995 onward?

3. Does the purpose for which it is leased, viz. tourism, recreation, camping, and ancillary purposes allow for permanent residency on the lease (apart from a caretaker)?

4. Under Lease conditions 3 & 4, are empty 44 gallon drums in large quantities deemed ‘rubbish’ in relation to theses lease conditions and if so, why has the Minister not sought to have the rubbish removed?

5. Pursuant to Lease condition 8:
(a) what land management strategy was formulated by 5.7.1996 to ensure sustainable use of the area; and
(b) does the plan include agreement that human waste from the lease is required be contained in a properly constructed sewerage system;
(i) if so, what sewerage system is in place; and
(ii) is the Minister satisfied that no human waste is entering the McArthur River system as a result of the seepage from any area within the lease of the Borroloola Boat and Fishing Club.

6. Does the land management strategy include a properly constructed and certified power reticulation system.

7. Will the Minister make a copy of the land management strategy publicly available.

8. Is the land management strategy being adhered to?

9. Under Lease condition 9:
What routine and other investigations are made to ensure that the lessee is complying with the requirements of the Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act.

ANSWER

1. Lease inspections regarding compliance with lease conditions are programmed annually. However additional inspections are carried out when Department of Lands, Planning and Environment officers are in the region (minimum number of lease inspections three times a year).

2. Officers of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment make visual assessments during on site inspections. The lessee is required to take remedial action if lease conditions are not being complied with. Reports will not be made available.

3. Neither the lease purpose nor the lease conditions specifically preclude permanent occupation. There are no subleases registered on the Club title. However, it is understood some life members of the Club have been allocated permanent camping areas.

4. No, empty 44 gallon drums are not deemed as rubbish. They are used for the decanting of fuel. Appropriate storage of drums and fuel is being addressed with Club Management.

5. (a) The Batten Point, Borroloola, McArthur River Rehabilitation and Development Concept Plan was prepared by the then Conservation Commission in 1995. While this Plan wasn’t prepared specifically for the Club lease area, the concepts in the Plan are used to apply appropriate land management measures in relation to the Club’s lease.

(b) The Plan includes a recommendation that central flush showers and toilets be installed and such ablution facilities have been constructed.

(i) A standard septic effluent disposal system is in place for the main ablution area. In May 1999 an inspection undertaken by Territory Health Services (THS) identified a number of individual systems installed to code, some have been installed and appear to comply but have not been certified by a qualified plumber. The Club has been requested to provide the appropriate certification.

(ii) All effluent disposal systems inspected by THS are the required minimum distance of 40 metres from the banks high water mark. There is no evidence that raw effluent is entering the McArthur River as a result of seepage from the Club lease.

6. Yes.

7. No. The document is an in house document prepared by the then Conservation Commission.

8. The land management strategy for the lease is based on the Batten Point, Borroloola, McArthur River Rehabilitation and Development Concept Plan. The lease contains a condition which allows the concepts of the Plan to be adopted as the standards in terms of land management issues. The Club is required to comply with these standards.

9. The lease is inspected on a regular basis by Department of Lands, Planning and Environment. Any non-compliance regarding the requirements of the Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act is brought to the Club’s attention and remedial action is required. In 1998 a Coastcare project (a Club initiative) was carried out. The project resulted in 100 metres of extensively eroded river bank adjacent to the Club lease being rehabilitated.